Long-Term Care Services for Seniors

Overview

Long-Term Care Services refer to a range of personal support, physical, social and mental health services required by individuals who, because of long term functional limitations, need assistance to function as independently as possible.

Eligibility

Seniors whose functional needs require long term supports to supplement their abilities and/or the ability of their care giver to help them carry out activities of daily living.

Description

The objective is to provide appropriate long term care services at the appropriate time and in the appropriate place within the overall continuum of care.

- Long Term Care provides long term assistance with the activities of daily living. Services assist eligible clients to function as independently as possible, by providing appropriate long term care services.

- A standardized assessment and uniform eligibility criteria ensure that all seniors age 65 and over with long term needs have the same access to services they require. The assessment will be completed by Social Workers of the Department of Social Development.

- Home support services can help with the senior’s daily activities such as personal care (ex: bathing, grooming, feeding), light housekeeping, and meal preparation. These services can also include relief to caregivers. Clients can chose to receive home support services from approved Home Support Agencies or from private individuals.

- If it is not possible for the senior to live in his/her own home, options could be an alternate family living arrangement, where the senior lives with a substitute family, or a residential facility approved to provide the services required by the senior.

- Facilities for out-of-home long term care services are approved and monitored. Room and board is provided, as well as required supervision and assistance with activities of daily living.

- In-home support services and residential services are not covered by Medicare. For those individuals who require financial assistance from the department, a contribution scale is used to determine the senior’s contribution towards the cost of the service.